Monday, April 27, 2009

What Happened In Vegas Isn't Staying In Vegas

Vegas! I have so much to share with you, both in these words and through my actions. I know you're wondering, and the answer is yes, I did take some pictures. Just none worth any space anywhere because they're not really of anything good. Haha come to think of it, they're not really of anything at all. Now... where to begin?
First of all, the speakers there were incredible. A handful of the most successful entrepreneurs in the eCommerce industry were there to speak on business ownership and, more importantly, dream ownership. John Maxwell taught from his most recent book, Put Your Dream to the Test, and posed interesting questions to ask yourself when you are going towards your dream.
I realized at one point during the course of his speaking that I had something all wrong. I have been so focused on finally getting where I want to be I took my eyes off of what the important part really is: the journey to get there. It makes a huge, realistic difference when you stop thinking about the destination with your head in the clouds and get back to path at hand that you want to take you there. I think it would be a lot easier to trip on obstacles on the path with your head up in the clouds don't you? I realized that if you aren't happy with where you are now, you won't be happy with where you're going either. That is crucial. It's the major difference between a fantasy and a dream.

It wasn't quite the way I had it pictured when I made my first post after all. Just because you aren't where you want to be doesn't mean you have to be unhappy about that. Granted I have been happy with where I am and where I was, but I did not truly value it at the time. As long as you get a clear picture in your mind and add a burning desire for something more in your heart, be happy! Success is a process, so be happy knowing you're on your way, and place value on the good and bad times you have getting there. Make it a goal to be defined by how many times you get up, not how many times you fall down. Forget about the things you don't have, you're with people you love now! Celebrate that!
It's crazy out there right now, dear reader, and we need to stick together as best we can. America, and really the world in general needs to focus on love, not money. True recovery comes from the heart and soul, not wallets.
I think we need to learn that.
Figure out what you really, really want out of life. What's going to add value to your life and the lives of others? You gotta make sure it's your dream. Not your parents, not your friends', but yours. Find the passion that compels you to reach your goals. Get a dream, make a quality, one-time decision to go get it, and enjoy the journey along the way!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Vegas, Baby!


Alright everyone, gather 'round, gather 'round. It's official: we'll be making a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend. I am more than ready for another trip, especially since it is also beneficial for business. I'm going to a private invitation-only business conference on trends in the eCommerce industry that is exploding right now, and I'm pretty excited to act on what I learn there. John Maxwell, famed author of myriad books, will be there speaking on leadership and success principles. He has spoken in front of Fortune 500 companies, political leaders, and I believe even the UN if I'm not mistaken! I have to take something away from that wouldn't you say?
I'll be staying on the strip, within walking distance of The Orleans Hotel and Casino where the conference is taking place. I will do my best to keep a log of the trip. Once again, I'm not to great with taking a lot of pictures, but I will do my best. You have my word.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

See What Floats

Hello and thank you for coming, ladies and gentlemen of the board.
Today I would like to start things off by saying I hope everyone is having a spectacular week and hopefully you are all in good health. On that note, I would like to bring your attention to an interesting discovery that has recently surfaced on problems with our drinking water. It appears that over 271 million pounds of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals have been legally contaminating our waterways over a long period of time under direct watch of the U.S. government.
Order, order! I know it is troubling news. Especially since that was only the small amount that was monitored as pollutants. You can find out more about it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090420/ap_on_re_us/pharmawater_factories

Now, this was brought up to just inform readers of the health issues that could indeed be affecting the public without their knowledge. If anything, this is as good a time as any to switch buying habits from many of the normal bottled water to more pure forms. You're buying water anyway, so why not get the safest for your family? I know I am. Perfect Empowered Drinking Water, a brand growing rapidly in popularity (http://www.drinkperfectwater.com/) has been purified 15 times- the most times out of any other water in the world! It has been remineralized and microstructured with oxygen for pretty incredible results; results I can say are worth it from personal experience. You can get it from my site here: https://esolutionz.mychoices.biz/Retail/Products.aspx?PG=3
Just type "perfect water" into the search bar in the top right corner. Another very pure form of water is eSpring water which you can also get on my site above. For more information about this water, go here: http://espring.com/. The FDA approved it as the best source of water available! Just add it to the cart and start a free customer account to have shipped right to your door, no hassle. I'm taking a trip this weekend out of state, so tune in next time to here more about it!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Untitled

There is something special about people. Something that goes far beyond any animal instinct we share with other species, and beyond the physical realm we inhabit. There exists within each of us the most peculiar feeling; a feeling of necessity. Not necessity for the basic human needs of shelter, recognition etc., but necessity nonetheless.
This feeling, as best as I can describe it, is applied to different things because each of us is different in many ways. On the other hand, some aspects are similar between all people, and while it may vary slightly, it is present all the same. From personal observation, when it arises within us, it is characteristic to feel the overwhelming urge to alter-dimensionally stretch as far as the universe will allow to encompass all the passion and desire possessed. This occurs, for example, when in love. This occurs when you feel the absolute need to take part in your passions. This occurs when you know, whether deep down or at the forefront of your mind, that you were made for more than what you have been told to accept as the top. This is what occurs when your soul realizes or recognizes the need to do what you were created for, however contradictory it may be to current circumstances.

With love, the entire expanse of the universe is at your mercy because it exists, in those moments, just for you two. It's as if you attempt the feat of fitting the universe into your own heart and soul, and if zooming out on the entirety of life as we know it, you would eventually see it inside yourself.
For me, a passion is traveling. When I have spent too much time at home or even just in my hometown, within me rises this urge to stretch into the blue glow of the atmosphere and as I cover the globe, drop down on any point I choose. I feel the need to run, to get on a plane; to do anything I can possibly do to satisfy this need. That is why I long for the day when I can. When I can get on a plane when I feel like it. When I don't need to pack but just go. When I can see other people and cultures and places. When I can go to unreasonably poor parts of any country, including this one, and tell them their lives are worth so much more than what they are led to believe. That there is a deep meaning to their lives and they possess more than they know; they possess the love of their Creator. I was created to go. I was created to serve. I was created to love.

And it can be the most frustrating thing not to do what you were created for. To not apply yourself to what you know you want or need. A classic case is the white collar classic corporate employee. Lost amidst a sea of cubicles, the daily routine gets old enough one day and makes him or her look up to the sky before they enter their 50 story concrete block and stop. It hits them. It does not happen to those who really do want that life. But to those who settled, those who know they want more. Were meant for more, it hits them.
When you don't have the one you love, the one you would trade a universe for, it distorts the reality of that alter-dimensional urge. It throws it off or makes it seem futile and seems to be a freak accident because you know it should be so much different.
When you can't take the next flight and get a street bike to cruise the Mediterranean coast on, it is frustrating. But there is hope! Even hope in simply knowing that you realize this. People can go throughout their entire lifetime knowing they're missing out on something without realizing it is living their own lives. No matter what your age is, or occupation, or social status, there is something inside you that drives towards what you really were made for. All we can do is refuse to ignore it, refuse to accept anything less than our best, and stay on course for the destination we were meant to arrive at. Now I know I can't do it alone. It will take all the help I can get from the one who knows where I'll end up and what will happen along the way. Who can ask for better help than that of the Creator himself? I look forward to all the people I meet along the way, both those who are going my way and those who are embarking on their own journeys as well. Godspeed.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

North Korea, You Must Chill!

Does anybody else think North Korea just needs to calm down? The controversial rocket launch is scheduled for Saturday I believe, of which many allied countries are in clear objection. If it is indeed a missle test, it would violate UN sanctions and start a lot of trouble, seeing as how North Korea is threatening aggresive and retaliatory action towards any attempts to shoot it down, go to the UN council, or even monitor the launch in any way. They're acting like a cornered misbehaved child caught with a sharp stick.
A lot of intelligence analysts believe it is still only a satellite launch, but if it were it would also show potential missile launch capabilities. Anyway, we'll all see how this turns out I suppose.

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSSEO2731820090312

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090402/ap_on_re_us/us_nkorea_missile

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

April Fools. Not.

Now I assure you, what you are about to read is no joke, although I wish in some ways it was. The famous date aside, I am sorry to say that unfortunately a pretty cool opportunity has slipped out of my grasp. And that of a few friends. The bidding for the position to open for the band Deftones stopped today, and we were about $7,000 short of the final bid. There just wasn't a chance. We raised and received about $4,500 for the bidding war and suddenly as it got down to the final 15 minutes, the bidding went up by the thousands.

While it is indeed a bummer that our band didn't get the spot and it would've set up any kind of music career for anyone who wanted it (making contacts, getting huge recognition and coverage- it is the Bamboozle Festival after all), it is a good thing. It was obviously not a close call in the money and it is going to the bassist, Chi Cheng's family to pay the hospital bills keeping him alive. He got in a really bad accident and has been in a coma for about three months. So hopefully that on top of the donations they are receiving will help him.

On an A-flat (lighter note), I thought Adult Swim was rather hilarious last night. Now, I don't have television and my friends' Tivo is about all I get. I don't complain, books are a much better use of time anyway. However, last night on one of those occasions where I'm thankful for it. The network pulled an April Fools joke and listed all the shows like normal. The catch is, they instead put in place different parts to the movie "The Room" written by, directed by, produced by , and starring Mr. Tommy Wiseau... aka possibly the worst thing that ever happened to film in the history of film. And we all thought The Scorpion King was as bad as it gets... Boy were we wrong. As a matter of fact I'm at a crossroads of wanting to tell you to buy it for the $8 it's sold for and telling you it's not worth it if it was free. Or even if you were paid to see it hahaha. Then again, it was funny watching edited. There was a scene sexual in nature, but had huge black boxes blocking everything. As a matter of fact, the entire screen was covered at one point. If you end up seeing it, you would not believe it cost 6 million dollars to make.

Well, I had a day of fun and adventure. It's back to business tomorrow. Especially since I don't have to clear my schedule for hard core band practice. Today a bunch of guys came airsofting out in some abandoned summer camp in the San Bernardino Mountains. Then we all got some pizza. Guys day for sure. It was a lot of fun, I definitely want to do it again soon. Not that I'm bragging, but I led every team I had to victory. Haha okay, I'm bragging a little bit, but you weren't there! You didn't see me dive through windows and flank the enemy position and have others cover when someone went forward. The adreniline never leaves! Alright, I'm done.. for now.